Moves Considered to Curb Missionaries

An informal discussion of the troublesome question of Christian missionary activities in Israel was held here yesterday. Justice Minister Yaacov Shimshon Shapiro and Dr. Zerach Warhaftig, the Minister for Religious Affairs, met with Knesset members representing six political factions to explore the feasibility of devising legislation to curb missionizing.

Chief Rabbi Shlomo Goren urged several days ago that the government take firm measures to curb the activities of missionaries, particularly the "Jews for Jesus" followers, some of whom are born or converted Jews who have obtained Israeli citizenship. The National Religious Party and the Agudat Israel factions had demanded a general Knesset debate on the problem. The Labor Party and Gahal demurred on grounds that it would elicit a harmful reaction from the Christian world. They maintained that it was preferable to act quietly and informally at this stage.

Dr. Warhaftig said the problem was not with the major churches but with the smaller ones, such as various Baptist sects which proselytized among Jews. He said missionary activities always increased at times of increased immigration. He alleged that missionaries penetrate immigrant absorption centers and campuses and seek out lonely people and people with adjustment problems. He proposed a revision of Israel’s Law of Return to exclude "Jews for Jesus" followers.

The Justice Minister said he opposed legislation against missionaries per ac. He observed that evangelism was a basic tenet of the Christian church and that Israel, as a tolerant democracy, must accept this However, he added, if missionaries were found to be exploiting poverty and offering material inducements to poor Jews, legislation could be devised to curb them."

Shapiro said his ministry was working on laws that would lighten control over foreigners buying land in Israel which might also have a controlling effect on missionaries. He said that just because a Jew said he believed in Jesus did not mean he was a Christian. That remark brought angry shouts of protest from Shlomo Lorincz of the Agudat Israel and Kalman Kahane of the Poale Agudat Israel.

The missionary issue has been raised in the Cabinet by the NRP. The NRP-controlled Interior Ministry is reportedly taking steps to oust "Jews for Jesus" members when their tourist visas expire. It is also planning to revoke the citizenship of Israel-born members of the sect and others who allegedly obtained conversion to Judaism under false pretenses.